Hollow Pursuits
'' |image= |series= |production=40273-169 |producer(s)= |story= |script=Sally Caves |director=Cliff Bole |imdbref=tt0708729 |guests=Dwight Schultz as Reginald Barclay, Charley Lang as Duffy, Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien, Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan and Majel Barrett as Computer Voice |previous_production=Tin Man |next_production=The Most Toys |episode=TNG S03E21 |airdate=30 April 1990 |previous_release=Tin Man |next_release=The Most Toys |story_date(s)=Stardate 43807.4 |previous_story=Tin Man |next_story=The Most Toys }} =Summary= The Enterprise in the process of transporting Mikulak biological tissue samples intended for use in combating an epidemic of Correllium fever on Nahmi IV. The transport of the samples is delicate, and when they find one of the sample containers is leaking, they are forced to destroy it to prevent the contamination of the other samples. LaForge tells Riker he is concerned that one of his engineers, Reginald Barclay, has been underperforming and notes that he is late to help with the sample transport. What LaForge does not realize is that Barclay has been in the holodeck acting in a simulation of other Enterprise crew members, avoiding contact with their real counterparts. LaForge requests that Barclay be transferred from the Enterprise but Picard recommends that LaForge take Barclay on as a "pet project". LaForge works at supporting Barclay as their team works to investigate the failure of unconnected systems around the ship. Picard invites Barclay to a bridge meeting to review the investigation, but slips up and accidentally calls him "Broccoli", a nickname given to him by the crew. Barclay later returns to the holodeck to seek refuge in the simulated version of the bridge members. In talking to LaForge, Guinan suggests that Barclay is simply imaginative and that LaForge keep a more open mind towards him. On her advice, LaForge visits Barclay on the holodeck and discovers the exaggerated simulation of the bridge crew. LaForge suggests Barclay get counseling from Troi, whose counterpart on the holodeck displays clear signs of sexual attraction towards Barclay. Barclay attempts to take the real Troi's advice, but ends the counseling session short and returns to the holodeck. LaForge shows Barclay's simulation to Riker and Troi to illustrate the extent of the problem. Suddenly, the Enterprise mysteriously accelerates to warp speeds, and Riker, LaForge, and Barclay go to Engineering to discover the matter/anti-matter injectors have jammed; the ship will continue to accelerate until its structural integrity collapses unless the injectors are cleared. The team is unable to come up with any immediate solutions that will work in the limited time they have, but Barclay realizes all the failures they have seen have been connected by a human element: a member of LaForge's Engineering team has been present at each incident. This allows them to reduce the possible contaminants from 15,000 to 2. The contamination that has been interfering with the systems is quickly discovered to be invidium, which was used as part of the Mikulak samples. They are able to quickly repair the injectors, stop the ship, and set course for a nearby starbase to remove the rest of the invidium contamination. LaForge commends Barclay for his contribution in saving the ship. Barclay returns one more time to the holodeck and addresses the simulated bridge crew, believing it best he leave them, and then deletes all but one of his holodeck programs. Errors and Explanations Equipment Oddities # La Forge not immediatly realising that the holodeck versions of Crusher and Wesley are fake. They could have been programmed to exactly duplicate their life signs. Internet Movie Database Character error # In the meeting with LaForge's senior officers, Wesley suggests to Lt. Barclay that he should check the flow capacitor on his malfunctioning anti-gravity device. In the next scene, Barclay tells Troi that he already knew about the "flux capacitor." (The flux capacitor is the famous fictional device from Back to the Future that makes time travel possible.) Barclay's natural nervousness could have resulted in him mixing his words. # When the ship is in danger, La Forge calls his senior engineers into a conference to solve a problem. But in both Contagion and Booby Trap La Forge handled such problems alone. This emergency is even more serious than the one in the episodes mentiond. Incorrectly regarded as goofs # When Picard calls La Forge on the holodeck regarding the injector problem, he forgets to activate his com-badge first. As has been seen in previous episodes, on the bridge, activating the com-badge is unnecessary. All the bridge requires is voice activation. Plot holes # Since the containers in the cargo bay are medical materials, they should be handled by the medical technicians not engineers. The dangerous nature of the contents require handling by specialist with experiance of handling dangerous cargo, # How would an underachiever like Reg Barclay get posted aboard the Enterprise, one of the most competitive assignments in Starfleet? Maybe someone thought a tour of duty aboard Enterprise would force him to improve his personal performance! Nit Central # dkgjdnhlghelr jr. on Sunday, October 24, 1999 - 10:14 pm: Data completely mispronounces "metathesis." There may be more than one pronounciation. # Madelline on Tuesday, March 21, 2000 - 1:53 am: Data keeps the Musketeer hat and foil in his quarters. Did we ever see the Real Data interested in the Musketeers? Or did they forget that was a holodeck Data? Perhaps he developed an interest after these events, in order to understand the concept of group friendship. # Keith Alan Morgan (Kmorgan) on Monday, July 23, 2001 - 2:46 am: While examining the anti-grav unit Barclay mentions graviton inverters. Why not just use anti-gravitons. According to Data in Attached anti-gravitons are used in tractor beams. That would require a portable tractor beam unit, and increase the risk of the containers breaking apart under the stress. # Barclay says he is afraid of everything. In Justice Picard says that `the seeds of criminal behavior can be detected and dealt with,' which implies a fairly sophisticated level of psychology. So why couldn't the Starfleet psychologists cure Barclay of his rampant phobias? Maybe the thought of treatment triggered even more phobias.LUIGI NOVI on Monday, July 23, 2001 - 9:53 pm: Barclay never said anything of the sort. It was Geordi who said to him in Ten Forward, "You're just shy." I also don't think that either a phobia or shyness are classified as forms of "criminal behavior", and we know the Federation banned genetic engineering except in cases where it's used to correct defects or assist in the treatment of major injuries. While elimination of criminal behavior was not mentioned, this could be seen as defect, as it was in Repentance, but I doubt shyness or phobias would. # Why doesn't Troi sense Barclay's amorous feelings towards her? LUIGI NOVI on Monday, July 23, 2001 - 9:53 pm: For the love of God, Keith, EVERY MALE ON THE SHIP has "amorous feelings" for her! Don't you think she senses it every minute of every day? What is she supposed to do, go up to every male on the ship who has sexual fantasies about her and confront them on it? :) Seniram 11:27, April 7, 2016 (UTC) Every male? Even Picard? Category:Episodes Category:The Next Generation